According to WikiAnswers, an average moderately active person takes about 7,500 steps a day. Assuming that the person walks everyday starting from the age of one till the age of eighty, he/she would have taken more than 200 million steps in his/her lifetime. Who would have thought?
We started walking intuitively and probably from seeing our parents and other adults doing it; we imitated them. We fell and we picked ourselves up repetitively and fearlessly. Pretty soon we were walking steadily and the daring ones were already running. Through sheer hard work and encouragement, we had not only mastered the art of walking but also doing it with ease. Had we ever questioned the hard work we put into learning to walk?
Are there something which you are hoping to do well? I have an interesting news for you. With hard work and I mean a lot of hard work, you can achieve excellent in what you hope to do well. And not just hard work, “But work of a particular type that’s demanding and painful,” according to a report by CNN on the Secret of Greatness.
“I do not have the innate gifts to be successful.” From the above mentioned report, British-based researchers Michael J. Howe, Jane W. Davidson and John A. Sluboda conclude in an extensive study, “The evidence we have surveyed … does not support the [notion that] excelling is a consequence of possessing innate gifts.” The first major conclusion is that nobody is great without work.
A lot of people are working hard and yet not many are achieving excellent results. Where did it go wrong? The biggest challenge is that most people are just blindly charging ahead. A friend of mine shared his Cycle of Excellence with me a few years back. It is a simple feedback system he uses for his students so that they can constantly monitor their own results through feedbacks. Through the system, the students can pin-point what produces positive results and do more of that.
Besides monitoring which of our hard work produces positive result, a paper published by professor K. Anders Ericsson of Florida State University and two colleagues in 1993 notes, “Elite performers in many diverse domains have been found to practice, on the average, roughly the same amount every day, including weekends.” Thus, we also need to put in consistent hard work.
Many would have spent the weekend otherwise. Not many are willing to go the extra miles and that is why not many can achieve greatness. At least we know now that achieving greatness is not only for the privilege few but available for you and I.
“What we hope ever to do with ease, we must learn first to do with diligence.” – Samuel Johnson
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“What we hope ever to do with ease, we must learn first to do with diligence.” – This is true! Lucky to have done this many times in my life and hope to do more of it in the future. Thanks for sharing this.
@ Emelyn, glad that you were able to apply the principle from this quotation in your life and achieve results. 🙂
An excellent reminder for all. Greatness is within our reach. And it’s applicable not just to our personal skills or our work or our dreams. It also applies to how we define our “humanity”, a weighty word that seems at times misunderstood. Thank you.
@ Belinda, indeed, if people know about this and they are willing to work for their dreams, they too will achieve greatness in time to come. Thank you for dropping in and your comment.
One thing that I’ve always wished I could do was sing. I guess the same goes for that; if I hired a trainer and practiced maybe I could? It would be interesting to see what would happen, but I don’t believe I have the vocal capability.
.-= Davina´s last blog ..I Find Stillness =-.
I agree that success is all about hard work. People with all kinds of talent and natural ability are often led to believe that they don’t need to work to be successful, and I think that this puts them at a disadvantage.
.-= Tina T´s last blog ..Are “The Rules” Empowering Women or Demeaning Them? =-.
“Are there something which you are hoping to do well?”
yes, and my biggest goal is to finish writing my book, but that will ONLY happen with due diligence. {as per your excellent quote}
.-= meleah rebeccah´s last blog ..Unjustifiable Fears And My Wild Imagination =-.
Great advice. I don’t practice things nearly enough.
.-= sharkbytes´s last blog ..Who Was Playing Here? =-.
@ Davina, perhaps you can do that. Winston Churchill, despite grewing up with a stutter, still made himself one of the greatest orators of our time. If he was to think that he did not have what it takes, then it wouldn’t have been. So if you really have the passion and love to sing well, by all means go for it.
@ Tina, you are right, what could be an advantage to them could also be their downfall.
@ Meleah, indeed, it is a challenge to write a book. I look forward to the day yours are completed. 🙂
@ Sharkbytes, we have to start somewhere. 🙂
Hi BK .. perhaps walking as a toddler is a good example – we probably all end up walking .. most of us will just walk; some will add in some hiking; some will walk everywhere and not jump a car or a bus etc; some will walk to raise funds, some will compete, some will marathon walk and some with walk the mega walks, some will walk mountains, .. most of us will just walk & be grateful for our two feet.
Though we could all improve a little with practise .. and thus the same with business and life in general .. just up the ante a little ..
work at it, as we fall at step one, then step two – we always get up .. even now when we fall ..
200 million steps – oh .. a lot! Better get going and make sure I add a few in today ..
Thanks – Interesting .. Hilary Melton-Butcher
Positive Letters Inspirational Stories
.-= Hilary´s last blog ..Turning a team of oxen – any idea how? =-.
@ Hilary, you are right; some of us has become ‘expert’ in walking. With practice, we will improve in not only walking but in other areas of our lives.
“Mastering” anything is all about practice; very specific and consistent practice. Some people see this as a huge obstacle. I see it as an opportunity. What it says to me is that I have a chance to achieve my goals and that I don’t have to have the most talent.
Talent certainly helps, but it can only take a person so far. In fact the people with the most innate ability often fail because they ride their talent until it only goes so far. People with some talent, combined with a ton of self-motivation often become “masters” more quickly and more often.
Interesting post!
.-= One of The Guys´s last blog ..How are you? A simple multiple choice question. =-.
@ One of the Guys, I agree with you that one do not have to have the most talents to achieve one’s goals as long as one is willing to put in specific and consistent practice. Just as Tina mentioned, “People with all kinds of talent and natural ability are often led to believe that they don’t need to work to be successful, and I think that this puts them at a disadvantage.“
Good food for thought BK and Greatness like you say is available to us of which we certainly have to work hard for . What comes to mind for me is need to think outside the Box … which cld be similar to going that extra mile …. Grt Post and thanks for sharing … 🙂
@ Fatima, thinking out of box can infuse new life into what we are doing and can also possibly move us to higher level; that can be considered going the extra mile. 🙂
I am looking forward to that day too! Although it may take close to FOREVER for me to finish it!!
@ Meleah, I believe you can. And I may not have FOREVER to read the book. 🙂
Thank you BK! This post hit home as I venture into something a little new for me–it feels good, but scary too but exciting–but Sailing on with confidence and perseverance! :o)
Dear BK, this is such an inspiring post that came just the right time for me as i am working, making lists, setting goals and executing a plan on how i can be better and keep going with my creative journey. Thank you sooo very much for sharing! Have a lovely merry happy day and lots of love to you!
@ Tracy, I can feel your excitement. There seem to be a lot of uncertainties as you move into this new venture. But one thing is certain, you need to put in a lot of hard work into it. It may not promise smooth sailing but with your confidence and perseverance, I believe you will be able to make it. I wish for you all the best! 🙂
@ Jacqueline, it is important to constantly reflect and give feedback on yourself so that you can find out what works and what don’t. With that and with consistency, I am sure you will be able to achieve much is your creative journey. May the creative force be with you and have a lovely merry happy day and lots of love to you too!
Great topic BK.
Talking about diligent, I am in dilemma in clicking entrecard every single day for almost one and half years now.. It’s a love-hate situation 😀
.-= VanillaSeven´s last blog ..Force of Gentle Nature 2 =-.
Okay, well then, I’ll just have to get my butt in gear and finish writing it just for you! xoxo
.-= meleah rebeccah´s last blog ..National DeLurking 2010! =-.
@ VanillaSeven, somehow I know exactly what you mean. Entrecard is one system which I worked from ‘zero’ to being the top of my category and eventually to being among the top droppers. But then just like you I diligently dropped everyday; it kind of felt like I was working for Entrecard’s system. Then on the bright side, I did get to know a lot of other bloggers through the system.
@ Meleah, yes, I’ll look forward to a signed copy of your book. 🙂
That’s a lot of steps! It is frustrating sometimes when you aren’t getting the results you are hoping to but generally things work out with perseverance.
.-= lisaschaos´s last blog ..Thankful for the Polar Plunge jumpers =-.
@ Lisa, I totally agree with you that at time it can be frustrating when we aren’t getting the results we are hoping for. And time like this is time when we need to put in the extra effort to pull through because generally things work out with perseverance. 🙂
Interesting post as always. I suppose I have never been willing to work hard enough at the things that matter the most. Hmmmmm.
.-= Cathy Voisard´s last blog ..The New Year Good-bye =-.
@ Cathy, I believe you are not alone on this. A lot of people, including myself, are not willing to work hard enough at the things that matter the most; we know that it is important that we do certain things and yet when the procrastination sets in, we may just push the deadline infinitely. This is something which we must all learn to overcome.
Consistency is really the name of the game. If we do good just once it is not enough. Repeating excellence is what matters. Great post. Thanks for sharing.
.-= Pratishtha´s last blog ..Everyone is gifted =-.
@ Pratishtha, you are right, consistency and repeating excellence!